Why is a wavelength (or fraction of) in coax cable physically shorter than what I calculate from the formula for wavelength?
The formula you used to calculate the wavelength was probably meant for calculating a “free space” (air) wavelength. In fact, RF energy moves more slowly in a transmission line than it does in air because the materials used in cable slow it down. Therefore, a wavelength in cable takes up less length. The appropriate formula for the calculation of the guided wavelength is: where is the dielectric constant of the material (1 for the air, and 1 for other types of material). This value increases as a function of the frequency.
Related Questions
- If you have intermittent sync problems, try a new coax cable - they are relatively inexpensive, and who doesn need a spare network cable at one time or another?
- How do we calculate the minimum installation length of the cable when it is installed vertically?
- Is coax cable, the basic wire in every home, a digital or analog wire?
